


Shy, Skinny Love (Such a lovely cliché)

by justgotowisharder



Category: Larry Stylinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Fluffy Smut, Love Letters, M/M, Sub!Louis, bookworm - Freeform, dorky!harry, shy!Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-03
Updated: 2013-08-03
Packaged: 2017-12-22 08:16:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/910956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justgotowisharder/pseuds/justgotowisharder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Where Louis is a shy bookworm and Harry is the dorky guy in love with him.</p><p>(or: Harry knows he should date a boy who reads)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shy, Skinny Love (Such a lovely cliché)

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by the prompt found on bottomlouislibrary.tumblr.com and of course on the quote "date a girl who reads" by Rosemarie Urquico.  
> If you like to read and haven't read the whole quote yet, GO RIGHT NOW TO GOOGLE AND READ IT, because it made my cry. Seriously.  
> Enjoy it and, as always, find me on tumblr here: [ijustgotowisharder](http://ijustgotowisharder.tumblr.com/) <3 enjoyyy! xx
> 
>   
>  [ [ Read this story in Russian . Translation by Marsian_Soldier ] ](https://ficbook.net/readfic/3314103)  
> 

Louis is an odd guy. He’s the kind of guy who uses more Goodreads than Facebook. Actually, he hasn't a Facebook account, yet his Goodreads account has reached almost 500 finished books.

Louis is the kind of boy who has more books than clothes in his closet, he has a notebook where he writes down all his favorites quotes, the kind of boy who likes to travel by bus or train because that means he'll have time enough to read.

Louis is a bookworm and he’s happy like that. Because books give him a place to go when he has to stay where he is.

Harry is the kind of guy who can't keep his attention on a book more than ten minutes. He tries, of course he does, but his eyes always find a way to escape from the words and finally land on Louis, who's usually reading next to him. It's not his fault that Louis looks so beautiful when he reads. Plus, he isn't a big fan of books, just poetry.

Louis, by the other hand, is quite dreamy. And every single dream he has is personified in Harry Styles.

A friend as Ron Weasly? Got it, Harry Styles. A man as Mr. Darcy? Got it, Harry Styles. A party host as Gatsby? Got it: Harry Styles. A brave man as Marius? Got it: Harry Styles.

Louis could write an endless list about his best friend: Harry Styles has a little bit of every single character Louis felt in love with.

Maybe, though, it’s the fact that he falls in love with the fictional characters just because they are like Harry and he’s simply in love with Harry.

But is pretty sure about Harry's feelings. It doesn't matter how close they are, he's not in love him him. Certainly not.

"Hey, Lou."

Harry’s raspy voice is the only sound that makes Louis come back from his fantasy world and doesn't turn him grumpy. His eyes abandon the pages of _The Help_ and look at Harry. He’s smiling widely with his dimples and his stupid curls and his stupid old white shirt. And his lovely stupidity and cuteness.

"Silence on the library, sir," Louis teases and Harry giggles, taking a seat at his side.

He glances at the book Louis is reading and asks: "Isn't that girly book?"

"No," Louis corrects him, raising eyebrows. "It's pretty interesting. It's about the black maids, Aibileen and Minny. Minny is a black maid and I like the way she..." Shit, as a good bookworm, he can't help rambling when its about books.

He knows nobody really cares about his opinion, but Harry is staring at him as if hearing about black maids, some gal named Minny and racism were his favorite things ever.

"Isn't from this country, anyway. But I like American history, u'know."

"I know."

Of course Harry knows. He seems to know everything regarding Louis, actually.

Harry slowly rests a hand on the desk, right next to Louis’s. The older boy notices it and glances at them. Harry's long fingers have rings, and his massive hands are perfect to hold. He's lost in his daydreams where he and Harry walk by the street holding hands and being close, daydreams that don't seem to be possible.

Not at all.

Louis gulps nervously, his mind starts begging for Harry to brush his skin with his hand at least. He needs his touch, his soft skin... But Harry doesn't move a bit.

"Hum, Lou, want you to read this," Harry tells him and takes his bag, quickly looking for something inside. Then he picks up a book, a blue book with snowflakes on the cover and written with big red letters the words _'Let It Snow_ '.

"Read it," he says, giving the book to Louis. He takes it and peers at the pages, noticing that the book has three holiday stories. "I liked the one by John Green, but I know you will like the first one as well."

Louis smiles sweetly at Harry. Reading isn't as a big thing for Harry as it is for him. Thus, it’s the very first time of the younger boy recommending a book, which is really sweet from him. Louis wants to read it right now.

"Thanks, pumpkin," he thanks, smiling dreamily at his best friend. "I'm gonna start it tonight."

Harry smiles back and Louis can swear the whole library is brighter.

 

*

 

Indeed, Louis loves the first story. It's simple yet lovely, and somehow he feels related to the main character.

When the time for the John Green story comes, he finds himself wrapped in the story, even when the plot in holiday stories aren't really deep. It's cute and warm and that is enough, it's all Louis needs right now.

Turning to page 135, he's expecting to know what happens between the Duke and the guy when he notices something wrong on the book.

 _Shit._ Page 135 is written with a sharpie. Which is really bad; more considering that Harry maybe burrowed the book from the library. That dork of him, Louis will kill him. 

Louis's eyes run by the words written down the page, frowning. His heart skips a beat, his brain trying to process what he has read. He suddenly he starts sweating like a nervous little boy.

It couldn't be true. Not a bit.

 

**Louis: will you be my boyfriend? Harry x**

 

Louis tries to get out from bed a bit too quickly, falling on the floor, limbs tangled on the sheets. He tries to hold from his nightstand, making a mess when he knocks a cuppa over, which also falls down and wets the floor.

Anyway, when he stands up he takes his phone, ignoring the mess he made, then he realizes it's 2 in the morning and Harry is probably asleep. So he just types a text:

 

**You were right: loved the first story. But John Green made a pretty good job on page 135.**

 

 

*

 

 

They turn into the most sappy and lovely couple ever. Their friends tease them for being so dependent of each other, for needing constant reassurance that the other is right there. Yet they aren't the couple you could find snogging everywhere, much less. They love simple and silent pecks on the lip, soft caresses under the table, sneaky glances and loving smiles.

One of their favorites thing in the world, is when Harry gives Louis a bike ride to the library.

Louis always sits on the handlebar, Harry pedaling with his long legs and lot of energy, having a perfect view of Louis’s back and neck and just _Louis_.

Louis laughs and tells Harry stories the younger boy can’t hear because he's pedaling a little bit too fast, so the wind takes away the words.

The way to the library is always nice, sometimes the old woman who works at the bakery comes outside and waves to the happy couple when they pass in front of it. Louis says hello back to her, swaying dangerously on the handlebar.

"Careful, Lou," Harry always says.

It's a tradition. Louis, for their two months anniversary, gives Harry a cute basket to put in the handlebar, where he can carry whatever he wants. Harry loves it just because it was Louis’s idea and he loves all about Louis.

 

 

*

 

  
When Harry can’t find Louis, well, there's only a place where he can be found: the coffee shop. That old, vintage coffee shop down the street, where Louis is gonna be sitting in one of the tables on the corner, coffee cold and with the cream floating on top, his blue eyes running by the words that make him fly to faraway places.

Harry knows that Louis is always there when he’s not answering his phone, and he’s not answering just because the book he’s reading is too interesting to stop. Once in a while, Harry drives to the coffee shop. The boy working there, an Irish lad named Niall, always greets Harry kindly because he loves Louis and he’s aware the happiness Harry causes on the older boy.

"Hey, Harry!" Niall says cheerfully. “Same as always? Mocha with extra cream?"

"Indeed, mate."

Louis’s eyes abandon the pages for a second to check on his boyfriend, who’s now talking to Niall. He smiles to himself and comes back to the book.

"He’s really into the book today," Niall says, pointing to Louis. “Is it fun to date a bookworm?"

Harry turns to Louis. The boy is sitting on an iron chair, book on the table, his head resting on his left hand. His fringe falls down his forehead and he’s wearing glasses, God that’s Harry weak point, Louis with glasses.

It’s warm inside, so Louis’s shirt is unbuttoned on top, and his tattoo _‘it is what it is’_ is slightly visible. He’s biting his lower lip, probably trying to contain the tension of living the climax of the story. Harry smiles widely.

"Its an adventure," Harry says, taking the cup of coffee Niall is offering to him. “You should date a girl who reads, u’know."

"Nah, I’m not a big fan of books."

"Neither I was," Harry points out, winking at him.

Harry thanks Niall and walks towards his boyfriend. Louis raises his head and smiles at Harry, who sits down in front of him and places his cuppa on the table. Harry takes a peek at the book his boyfriend is reading and asks: “Cool book?"

"Awesome," he nods and closes the book, Harry finally can see the front. _Ulysses_  by James Joyce.

"I heard somewhere that it’s a book difficult to understand," Harry comments after sipping his coffee.

"It's not. Well, at least not for me."

Harry smiles and his heart melt with the sweet thing that is Louis. Maybe he isn't even completely catching Ulysses, but he would never admit it. Harry has to contain the hurry to hug and kiss Louis right there, and instead he enjoys staring at his perfect, book lover boyfriend.

 

 

*

 

 

Touching isn’t a normal thing between them. Louis isn’t sure about what he must do or mustn’t, so he just keeps waiting for Harry to make a move. But Harry won’t make a move as well, so they both end up walking awkwardly by the street.

They look at the other by the corner of their eyes, giggling every time their eyes meet. Harry says _'I love you'_ a bit too much, and he swears Louis's eyes light up and shine more than the sun. There are not enough 'I love you's that could satisfy Harry's need of making Louis feel loved.

Louis moves his arm a little bit, making it brush against Harry's. Harry jumps at the touch and bumps into something. The awkward baby deer, Louis thinks. He's so clumsy and that makes him so irrationally cute.

Louis giggles and keeps walking, Harry quickly comes back to his normal walk and looks at Louis by the corner of his eyes. He extends his hand and reaches his boy's tiny hand, and his little finger holds Louis’s. The older boy tries his best not to smile and presses his lips together, and they walk finger-on-finger, snickering like two dorks in love.

"I love you, Harry."

And If Louis doesn't say 'I love you' as much as Harry does, the younger boy doesn't care, because every time Louis says it, it's truly meaningful.

 

 

*

 

Sleeping next to Harry, curled up against his chest, wrapped in his strong arms, hearing the beat of his heart... God, that's one of Louis’s dreams.

Yet he hasn't know how to express it, how to ask for it. He's really shy when it comes to relationships, so he just waits for the day when it’s too late at the night to come back home and Anne, as loving as she always is, says: “Louis, please, stay for the tonight. You can sleep on the couch, it's cold outside, don’t you think, Harry?”

Harry smiles shyly and nods, linking his hand with Louis’s.

“I do,” he agrees and then, in a slow voice, he adds: “but I rather have you sleeping on my bed, not the couch.”

Louis gladly accepts the invitation, overjoyed about it. The happy couple spends hours in Harry’s room watching movies and talking about how bad all the adaptations of books are. Of course Louis always says the book is better than the film, and Harry agrees because he trust Louis in batters of books.

When they start feeling sleepy, Harry rests his head on the crook of Louis’s neck and closes his eyes, smelling him and putting soft kisses to his warm skin. Louis freezes up.

He has spent hours and nights wishing for Harry to be like this with him. He can't be so stupid, he can't stay still and awkward. He should be doing something; kissing his boy back at least.

“I like your smell,” Harry whispers and presses a kiss on Louis’s shoulder.

“I like… you. All you.”

Harry giggles and raises his head, his hand clutching Louis's hips. He rolls on bed until he's on top of Louis, staring at him with pure devotion.

Louis is frozen and remains still, holding his breath because he had never been in this situation before, not with Harry, not with anyone. Harry rests his body weight on his elbow and pecks Louis on the nose.

“I love you, Louis,” he whispers softly and leans down to press a soft kiss to Louis’s lips. “You’re… I don’t even know what to say, because you mean so much for me.”

Louis’s heart burst with love and jumps in his chest. He can't cope with the idea that Harry is _his_ , that Harry loves his messy persona. He seems to be taken up from a novel, from one of those novels Louis loves so much.

Harry presses his body against Louis, their crotches rubbing against each other. Harry closes his eyes, moving his hips in circles slowly; Louis notices that Harry’s getting harder. He feels it, feels Harry’s dick right against his. He feels the way Harry is trying to hold back his moans, increasing the speed with the minutes, gripping Louis's arm a bit too hard.

Louis swallows hard while Harry leans down to kiss him again, this time deeper, sucking onto his mouth, tasting him as much as he can. Louis let him do whatever he pleases too because he trust in Harry.

The fact that Louis hasn't done anything sexual before doesn't mean he has wanked over the thoughts of his boyfriend. His boy reacts at Harry in the weirdest way, almost aching with the need to feel him.

Louis shoves up his hip unconsciously, he kind of likes to feel Harry’s cock rubbing against his. No, he fucking loves it; he loves to feel how hard Harry is for him. But when he does it, when a little moan escapes his lips, he suddenly feels ashamed. He had never acted like this with Harry, he doesn’t want Harry to think…

“You’re blushing,” Harry says in a husky voice, smiling fondly. Louis eyes look everywhere but Harry’s; the younger boy cups his hand on his face, forcing Louis to face him, making the boy blush even more, feeling his cheeks burning like fire. “Don’t be ashamed, baby,” Harry whispers and kisses the edge of Louis’s mouth. “I like it, too.”

He shoves down his hips a bit harder and starts moving in circles, dicks rubbing thought the material of the jeans. Louis’s eyes flutter shut and he tries to hold the filthiest sounds Harry causes on him.

“Don’t,” Harry says when Louis tries his best to contain his dirty sounds. “I like to hear your moans.”

“Harry—” Louis gasps while Harry tugs his hair with a hand, kissing him wetly.

“You’re beautiful, baby. Much more when you moan.”

Louis wants to protest, but now Harry’s rubbing harder and it feels so, so good. Pins and needles run down his lower belly and Louis have read so many times this on novels, but it's far better when he actually can feel it.

“Your skin is soft,” Harry speaks softly and runs his hand underneath Louis’s shirt, the tip of his fingers stroking his burning skin. “Don’t you ever, ever be ashamed of…”

Louis feels the way Harry's hand is reaching his lower belly; so he moves a hand and takes Harry’s on his, stopping him. Harry leans back, separating his lips, and Louis notices how reddish and plum his boyfriend's lips are. God, he's beautiful like this.

Louis smiles because Harry isn’t doing anything wrong, but he isn’t comfortable with his own body. Harry is so fit and so handsome, but he’s just… A tiny boy.

“Lou, I’m sorry,” Harry says and links their fingers. Louis shakes his head.

“Hate it.”

“What?”

“My tummy,” Louis says in a low, ashamed voice. Harry smiles and squeezes Louis’s hand.

“Silly. Silly, silly,” Harry hums. He moves away and sits down on the bed, grabbing Louis’s shirt and slowly taking it off. Louis doesn’t pond any resistance, but he’s utterly embarrassed. Harry leans down and puts open mouth kisses on Louis’s tummy, sliding the tip of his long fingers by his skin. “I love this tummy of yours,” he confesses and then raises his head. “What other thing of your body you don’t like? You tights?” he asks and leans down to kiss Louis’s tights. “I love them. Your bum? Let’s not talk about it because your bum is my weak point.”

Louis laughs awkwardly because he’s half embarrassed and half horny. Harry’s being so gentle with him. He makes Louis so desperate, so needy of more than just kisses. 

“Harry,” Louis whimpers and Harry looks up at him. Louis doesn't meet his eyes.

“Lou, please, don’t be embarrassed. I want to make love with you so hard that it hurts sometimes.”

Wow. Shy Harry, where did he go? Now Louis is in front of that Harry who could sound dirty, but he actually doesn't, he sounds cheesy and cute and loving and Louis is dying to have him inside, to be filled by Harry.

“It’s… my… I’m… I’m,” Louis stutters. He had read about it, he knows how people say it, but it’s so difficult to say it in real life. “I’m a… virgin, you know.”

Harry doesn’t say anything, just remains still right there, looking at Louis as if he was the most perfect treasure life had given to him. It’s the look on Harry’s eyes what makes Louis think that being a virgin isn’t something to be embarrassed about.

“I don’t know what to say because this means so much for me,” Harry whispers. “Damn God, today I just don’t know what to say all the time.”

“Just say what you feel,” Louis says shyly.

Harry stares at him for some long, silent minutes and then he closes the gap between them to kiss him deeply.

“I love you. That’s what I feel. I love you, I love you, I love you. Let me take care of you, babe."

Harry slides down the bed. Louis feels like a helpless damsel right there, spread on bed, exposed to Harry's desire. The boy starts unzipping his jeans and Louis doesn't protest; he just enjoys the touch of Harry on his body.

Harry takes off his jeans and then glides a finger by Louis's lower belly, making him moan. It's the small touches that drive Louis insane; he likes it gentle, he likes it slow.

"You don't know how much I waited for this," Harry whispers, leaning down to kiss all along Louis's tights.

He spends a long time pampering Louis with kisses and caresses, until he leaves Louis in a state of arousal that allows him to as:  "Can I touch you?" he has a hand placed on his boxer. Louis nods slowly.

Harry removes Louis's boxers; once his boy is naked he contemplates him as if he were the perfect human body. He quickly takes off his jeans and his shirt, yet he keeps his boxers. Louis can't help staring, every inch of Harry's body screams perfection, and it's _his._

_When did he get so lucky?_

"Wanna make you feel good," Harry whispers and captures Louis's hand on his own: "I'll guide you."

Louis doesn't know what Harry wants to do until he places Louis's hand, wrapped on his own hand, underneath his bum. Oh God, Louis knows now what his boyfriend wants. He makes a choked noise, and Harry smirks naughtily.

"Yes, Lou, you know what I want."

Softly, carefully, Harry's hand manages to place one finger on Louis's hole entrance. At the touch, the older boy sobs, aching for more. Harry pushes his hand, forcing Louis to push his finger inside.

Louis whines at the intrusion and needles run down his body. He closes his eyes and Harry moves his mouth to his ear: "now move, Lou."

Louis moves his finger inside, pleasure controlling his brain. He knows how to do it, he did it sometimes, yet he leaves Harry in charge. Harry's hand is still covering his own, pushing harder, and then he whispers: "Gonna add a finger, baby."

Louis immediately introduces another finger and scissors them, chocked moans coming out his mouth. Harry pushes hard Louis's hand inside and his eyes look down his throbbing and sensitive cock.

"I'll take care of it later," he whimpers. Louis knows he's fucking hard, he feels his body flaming.

He's now made a total mess, whimpering and feeling the pleasure of having his own fingers inside his arse, with Harry's hand pushing harder.

Louis hits his sweet spot and cries on pleasure, losing his mind for a bit. Harry squeezes Louis's hand and forces him to remove it, Louis growls on annoyance because he doesn't want to stop, but moments later Harry is pushing his own fingers inside him.

Louis makes a sob and his eyes flutter shut. He shoves his bum down, fucking his long fingers, and Harry draws circles with them inside. Much better than anything, Harry's long finger hit Louis's prostate, and he cries louder, forgetting completely that they are both in the same roof where Anne is.

"Just, more—… yes, Harry."

Harry crashes their lips together while his fingers work inside Louis. He bites Louis's lower lip, and this time it isn't gently, it's needy, and Louis might like needy kisses so much.

Harry rubs his crotch against Louis's leg, desperate for any kind of friction, as his tummy rubs against Louis's cock.

"Lou..." Harry chokes.

Louis's cock is leaking pre cum and he knows he's going to come pretty soon. Harry removes his fingers and places himself better on top of Louis, their dicks rubbing against each other, wet and throbbing. 

"Don't come yet, baby," Harry asks in a husky voice and Louis is aching and he needs to come but he won't because he'll do everything Harry ask for.

Harry rubs their crotches harder, moaning Louis's name in a blissful way; eyes lost and body covered on his and Louis's sweat.

"Lou, gimme your hand," Harry commands and Louis obeys, extending a hand to him. Harry grabs it and places both hands on Louis cock, wrapping it. "Now touch yourself for me, pretty boy."

Louis is very willing to obey because he needs it so much. His hands start moving up and down his dick, Harry’s hand covering Louis’, both working on his dick. Harry grazes softly the tip of his thumb by the head of Louis's cock and Louis sobs and cries Harry's name begging for more.

"Lou, mom is downstairs."

It's pretty obvious that Anne has already heard what’s happening inside the room, but Louis can’t care now because Harry is so fucking good with his hands. Well, technically is his hand the one rubbing his cock, but Harry is the one guiding the moves.

“Harry, Harry, wanna come,” Louis implores bawling harder. Harry’s curls brush against his neck while he sucks his soft skin, making a hickey, giving Louis more pleasure than what he can handle.

“You want it?” Harry whispers naughtily, short of breath. He drops Louis’s hands and quickly grasps his own burning cock. He starts rubbing it, making soft moans, and Louis keeps working up and down his dick. He tries his best to keep his eyes open because Harry is biting his lower lip so hard, and his forehead is covered on sweat, and his soft and pleased expression is breathtaking.

“Come, baby, come for me,” Louis asks and that even surprise himself, but moments later Harry comes all over his belly, weeping Louis’s skin, and Louis can’t hold it anymore and he comes as well, crying Harry’s name.

They both collapse exhausted on bed, looking at the ceiling. Louis rolls to Harry’s side and snuggles against Harry’s sweaty body. Harry surrounds him with his arms and pulls him closer, kissing his messy hair.

“Wow, Lou,” Harry whispers, voice hoarse. Louis isn’t sure about what to say so he just plants a soft kiss on each one of Harry’s swallows on his chest. “If this was just the beginning… you’re gonna kill me soon.”

Louis chuckles and nuzzles against Harry’s skin.

“C’mon, Haz.”

“C’mon you, Lou. Trust me; your face when you’re moaning is the most breathtaking thing I ever saw.”

“Flatterer… and horny,” Louis mumbles, half smiling.

Harry laughs and then slaps Louis’s bum, at what he growls on annoyance but ends up laughing as well.

“I love you, Haz.”

“I love you much, much more, Lou.”

 

*

 

Louis and Harry start spending more time together, sleeping together, reading and study together. Their moms start calling them _'the combo'_ : you want one, it comes with the other. Their togetherness, though, is something that doesn't annoy anyone, not even their friends.

Liam, Harry's best friend, makes it clear: Louis bring the best of Harry and Harry brings the best of Louis. They work better together. People like to see them together.

Louis knows it, he's aware that the best part of him is Harry. He's proud of that.

He sleeps better at Harry’s home, wrapped in his arms, cuddling with him, warm with Harry's body and hearing his sleepy love confessions, those Louis loves so much. He’s better feeling Harry’s body close to his, so he starts staying at Harry’s house more than just occasional days.

Anne is completely happy with it because she loves Louis and she loves to cook for the happy couple, even when Harry wants to cook as well so they both end up fighting for who's gonna be the one cooking.

Harry’s body grew taller than Louis; in a couple of months, Harry can spoon Louis completely, climb up on him and hold of him like a koala. Yet he still asks to be the little spoon, trying to curl his long-limbed body small, and it melts Louis.

Yet some nights, he prefers to encircle his arms around Louis’s waist, pushing him close, and kiss the back of his neck, always whispering: "I love you, Lou."

But that’s not a usual thing, not because Harry isn’t lovely or because he doesn’t want to spoon Louis or be spooned by him; it’s because Louis spends hours and hours reading before going to sleep.

He sits up on the bed, surrounded by pillows, with a gloomy light coming from the lamp on the nightstand, a book on his hands and a sleepy Harry resting his head on his lap.

"Do you mind?" Harry mumbles half asleep, nuzzling his head on Louis’s lap.

"I never mind having you close, babe," Louis answers and Harry’s eyes flutter shut, smiling.

So Harry falls asleep while Louis is far away battling with dragons, running with Frodo, flying with Harry and playing Quidditch.

Sometimes Harry wakes up in the middle of the night and finds Louis clutching a book to his chest, eyes wet and a nostalgic smile on his face. Harry knows it’s difficult for Louis to come back to reality after finishing a book, much more if the book was good.

Harry sits up on bed and caresses Louis’s hair, then leans into and softly brushes their lips together. Louis puts the book on his nightstand and falls into Harry’s arm, who cuddles him on his lap and kisses him non-stopping.

"Liked the book, Lou?"

"Loved it. The end was so heartbreaking, but so perfect," he explains, burying his head on the crook of Harry’s neck. Harry giggles and holds Louis tightly. “Anyway," Louis adds in a lower voice. "You still are my favorite story."

Harry feels really proud of it.

  
*

 

Pretty soon, Harry has recommended Louis almost ten books in the past months and they were all good, so Louis is now willing (well, he always was) to read every single thing Harry gives to him.

This time is different, because Harry gives Louis the complete original volumes of _Les Miserables_ , a novel Louis obviously already read. Harry insists anyway, arguing that the volumes were new, and they included unedited sections. Louis accepts because he’s too gone for Harry and he loves to see him excited about something.

Louis finds himself on the library with the three volumes of _Les Miserables_ , sitting on the desk with the guy working at the library, Zayn. They have been friends for a while now, Zayn is smart enough to know exactly what book Louis will love. He's a great librarian and a good mate, so they built a nice friendship together.

"Lad, you read that book already," Zayn points out, frowning.

"I know, but Harry insisted."

"Why?"

"He says it’s a… unedited version?"

Zayn purses his lips and glances at the books with a dash of mistrust in his eyes. Louis knows he doesn't completely believe in what Harry said. Louis is also aware that maybe Harry was wrong, but it doesn't stop him from reading the books, not when Harry was so hopeful about it. _Les Miserables_ is pretty great, though, so isn’t bad to re read it.

Louis takes the first volume and Zayn quickly snatches the second one. Louis doesn’t pay attention to him; he opens the book and reads the first page: nothing new, it’s the same. So then he runs the pages, trying to find something new, and… He notices that some pages are marked.

He opens one page where two words are underlined in pink. That seems a lot like Harry, for sure. The words are ‘love’ and ‘Paris’.

"Z?" Louis whispers and Zayn looks up to him. “Your volume has some words marked in pink?"

Zayn checks his book and then he nods: "Yup."

"Start from the beginning, I think there’s a message."

"What the hell?" Zayn asks, but Louis shushes him with a wave of hands.

His heart starts pounding inside his chest, he takes a pen and a piece of paper and starts from the beginning of the first volume, checking the marked words.

Quickly enough, he has a message, and then Zayn has one as well.

"Oh my holy fucking great and corny God!" Zayn exclaims, getting some irritated glances from the people reading there.

"What a strange God you have," Louis teases and takes his piece of paper. Together, the message says:

 

 

**Lou, you are my love, my Paris, you are my hopes, my future, my dreamed dream**

**Would you marry me?**

 

Louis utters a cry and stands up too hurriedly, so the chair falls on the floor, making a loud noise, but he can’t care at all because Harry proposed him through a book. Zayn jumps off his chair as well and starts rambling with a high-pitched voice.

Louis stares at the words marked on the book and quickly comes at the realization that _Les Miserables_ has three volumes and they have only checked two of them.

He grabs the third volume and opens it, hands shaking. When he opens it, a little box falls from the inside; the pages of the book have a gap where the box must have been placed. He bends down and takes the box, his mind woozy and everything around him suddenly stops.

When he opens the box, there’s a little ring with a little diamond. When he opens the book, there’s his dream came true.

"Zayn!" he yells at the library boy, who looks at him. “It’s…"

"Shit, shit, shit, shit, it’s a ring!" Zayn yells and now an old woman stands up and walks towards her.

"Can you please calm down, boy?"

"No, he can’t!" Louis shouts, and he’s smiling like an idiot. “He can’t because I’m getting married! With Harry! You know who’s Harry? He’s my boyfriend and the boy I love the most, and he proposed me trough a book," he runs to the old woman and randomly hugs her. The lady doesn’t react at first, but then she makes an awkward smile and pats Louis on the back.

"Congratulations, boy."

"YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED!" Zayn yells and starts making a stupid dance around the table.

"I’m getting married!" he shouts and now the entire library knows about the proposal. “I’m going to marry Harry Edward Styles."

 

 

*

 

 

They got married, of course. They plan a small, private wedding and all their families and friends are present. Louis cries, Harry cries even harder, and they kiss and once they're officially married Harry can't stop calling Louis ' _spouse'_.

They move in together to a small flat that they know it won't last because both of them plan to have a big family. Some days, when they're cuddled up on the couch, being sickening domestic, Harry wonders what was his life before being with Louis?

Harry’s world turned brighter since Louis is right there every morning when he wakes up and when he's there at the night when he falls asleep. They kiss, they have sex, they read, they live. Harry gets his degree in sociology and Louis his degree in American Literature. They're known as the nerdy couple, and they are happy.

Soon enough they adopt children, and they fight over the names because names are highly important for bookworms. You can’t call your son just John or Thomas. No, they must be weird names, and Louis says a name its one of the most important things and Harry agrees so their children end up having the most eccentric names.

Then Harry starts making money and buys them a house on the beach, like Neruda, and the biggest room in the house is the library room. Their children run by the house asking Louis to tell a story, and Harry curls up against his husband in the couch while they listen to him reading _Cat in The Hat_ or _Peter Pan_ or the complete _Grimm's Tales._

Harry falls in love with Louis everyday a little more. Some nights, when Louis loses the battle and falls asleep with the head on his chest, snuggled at his side; Harry strokes Louis's hair and thinks that yes,  _you should really, really date someone who reads_.


End file.
